Methods for the treatment of hepatitis B and hepatitis D infections

ABSTRACT

It is disclosed a method for the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV) infection or HBV/hepatitis D (HDV) co-infection, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent that removes the hepatitis B surface antigen from the blood and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which stimulates immune function.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/695,040, filed Aug. 30, 2012, and from U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 61/703,816 filed Sep. 21, 2012, the entire contentof which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present description relates to methods of treating a subject withhepatitis B infection or hepatitis B/hepatitis D virus co-infection witha treatment comprising a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent thatremoves the hepatitis B surface antigen from the blood and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent that stimulatesimmune function.

BACKGROUND ART

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) afflicts 400 million individuals worldwideand causes an estimated 600,000 deaths each year from complicationsarising from HBV infection. While several antiviral treatments areapproved for use, none of these is able to elicit a therapeuticallyeffective immune response capable of providing durable control ofinfection except in a small fraction of patients undergoing treatment.As such, there exists a clear unmet medical need for a treatment regimenwhich can elicit a durable immunological control of HBV infection in alarge proportion of patients receiving this treatment.

HBV infection results in the production of two different particles: 1)the HBV virus itself (or Dane particle) which includes a viral capsidassembled from the HBV core antigen protein (HBcAg) and is covered bythe hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and is capable of reinfectingcells and 2) subviral particles (or SVPs) which are high densitylipoprotein-like particles comprised of lipids, cholesterol, cholesterolesters and the small and medium forms of the hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) which are non-infectious. For each viral particle produced,1,000-10,000 SVPs are released into the blood. As such SVPs (and theHBsAg protein they carry) represent the overwhelming majority of viralprotein in the blood. HBV infected cells also secrete a solubleproteolytic product of the pre-core protein called the HBV e-antigen(HBeAg).

The hepatitis D virus (HDV) uses HBsAg to form its viral structure(Taylor, 2006, Virology, 344: 71-76) and as such, HDV infection can onlyoccur in subjects with concomitant HBV infection. While the incidence ofHDV co-infection in asymptomatic HBV carriers and chronic HBV-relatedliver disease is low in countries with a low incidence of HBV infection,it is a significant complication in HBV-infected subjects in countrieswith a high incidence of HBV infection and can increase the rate ofprogression of liver disease to fulminant hepatitis. As such, the clearunmet medical need in HBV infection is even more pressing in HBV/HDVco-infected subjects.

The current standard methods of treatment for HBV include interferon-orthymosin α1-based immunotherapies and the suppression of viralproduction by inhibition of the HBV polymerase. HBV polymeraseinhibitors are effective in reducing viral production but have little tono effect in rapidly reducing HBsAg or can slowly reduce HBsAg with longterm treatment in a limited number of patients (as is the case withtenofovir disoproxil fumarate). Interferon based immunotherapy canachieve a reduction of both viral production and early removal of HBsAgfrom the blood but only in a small percentage of treated subjects. Thegenerally accepted role of HBsAg in the blood is to sequester anti-HBsAgantibodies and allow infectious viral particles to escape immunedetection which is likely one of the reasons why HBV infection remains achronic condition. In addition HBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg all haveimmuno-inhibitory properties as discussed below and the persistence ofthese viral proteins in the blood of patients following theadministration of any of the currently available treatments for HBV asdescribed above is likely having a significant impact in preventingpatients from achieving immunological control of their HBV infection.

Although the three primary HBV proteins (HBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg) allhave immunoinhibitory properties (see below), HBsAg comprises theoverwhelming majority of HBV protein in the circulation of HBV infectedsubjects. Additionally, while the removal (via seroconversion) of HBeAgor reductions in serum viremia are not correlated with the developmentof sustained control of HBV infection off treatment, the removal ofserum HBsAg from the blood (and seroconversion) in HBV infection is awell-recognized excellent prognostic indicator of antiviral response ontreatment which will lead to control of HBV infection off treatment(although this only occurs in a small fraction of patients receivingimmunotherapy). Thus, while reduction of all three major HBV proteins(HBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg) may result in the optimal removal of inhibitoryeffect, the removal of HBsAg alone is likely sufficient in and of itselfto remove the bulk of the viral inhibition of immune function insubjects with HBV infection.

Therefore, in the absence of any current treatment regimen which canrestore immunological control of HBV in a large proportion of patients,there is a need to be provided with an effective treatment against HBVinfection and HBV/HDV co-infection which can restore immunologicalcontrol in the majority of patients.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present description there is now provided amethod for the treatment of HBV infection or HBV/HDV co-infection in asubject requiring such treatment, the method comprising theadministration of a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichremoves HBsAg from the blood of the HBV infected host and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent that stimulatesimmune function.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of HBV infection orHBV/HDV co-infection in a subject requiring such treatment, the methodcomprising the administration of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which inhibits the release of HBsAg from infected cells and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent whichstimulates immune function.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of HBV infection orHBV/HDV co-infection in a subject requiring such treatment, the methodcomprising the administration of an effective dosing regimen of a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which inhibits the release of HBVsubviral particles from infected cells and an effective dosing regimenof a second pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent whichstimulates immune function.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of HBV infection orHBV/HDV co-infection in a subject requiring such treatment, the methodcomprising the administration of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which inhibits the formation of HBV subviral particles in infectedcells and a second pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agentwhich stimulates immune function.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of HBV infection orHBV/HDV co-infection in a subject requiring such treatment, the methodcomprising the administration of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which inhibits the synthesis of or lowers the intracellularconcentration of HBsAg in infected cells and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable immunotherapeutic agent which stimulates immune function.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of HBV infection orHBV/HDV co-infection in a subject requiring such treatment, the methodcomprising the administration of the first and second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agents as described above in combination in a singlepharmaceutical composition or in two different pharmaceuticalcompositions given by the same route of administration.

There is also a provided a method for the treatment of HBV infection orHBV/HDV co-infection in a subject requiring such treatment, the methodcomprising the administration of the first and second pharmaceuticalagents as described above simultaneously in a patient, whether given bythe same or different routes of administration.

In accordance with the present description there is now provided the useof a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent which removes hepatitis Bsurface antigen from the blood in combination with a secondpharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent that stimulatesimmune function for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection.

There is also provided the use of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which inhibits the release of HBsAg from infected cells and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent whichstimulates immune function for the treatment of hepatitis B infection orhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection.

There is also provided the use of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which inhibits the release of HBV subviral particles from infectedcells and a second pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agentwhich stimulates immune function for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection.

There is also provided the use of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which inhibits the formation of HBV subviral particles in infectedcells and a second pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agentwhich stimulates immune function for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection.

There is also provided the use of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which inhibits the synthesis of or lowers the intracellularconcentration of HBsAg in infected cells and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable immunotherapeutic agent which stimulates immune function forthe treatment of hepatitis B infection or hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection.

There is also provided the use of a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which removes hepatitis B surface antigen from the blood incombination with a second pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeuticagent that stimulates immune function in the manufacture of a medicamentfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection.

In accordance with the present description there is now provided acomposition for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, said composition comprising an effectivedose of a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent which removeshepatitis B surface antigen from the blood and an effective dosingregimen of a second pharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agentthat stimulates immune function.

In an embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigen fromthe blood inhibits the formation of HBV subviral particles.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood inhibits the intracellular transit of HBV subviralparticles.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood inhibits the release of HBV subviral particles into theblood.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood inhibits the release of hepatitis B surface antigen fromthe infected cell.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood inhibits the synthesis of HBsAg and or another viralprotein.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood inhibits the synthesis or function of apolipoprotein H.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is a small molecule.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is a nucleic acid polymer comprising a phosphorothioatedoligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in length comprising repeats ofthe sequence AC.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is nucleic acid polymer comprising a phosphorothioatedoligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in length comprising the repeatsof the sequence CA.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is a nucleic acid polymer comprising a phosphorothioatedoligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in length comprising the repeatsof the sequence TG.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is a nucleic acid polymer comprising a phosphorothioatedoligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in length comprising the repeatsof the sequence GT.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises atleast one 2′ ribose modification.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises allriboses having a 2′ modification.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises atleast one 2′ O methyl ribose modification.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises allriboses having the 2′ O methyl modification.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises atleast one 5′methylcytosine.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises allcytosines present as 5′methylcytosine.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises atleast one 2′ ribose modification and at least one 5′ methylcytosine.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer further comprises allriboses having the 2′ O methyl modification and all cytosines present as5′methylcytosine.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide selected from the group consistingof SEQ ID NOs: 1-10.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide chelate complex comprising anoligonucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-10.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide chelate complex comprising SEQ IDNO: 2.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide chelate complex comprising anoligonucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 10.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide chelate complex comprising anoligonucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 10.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an antisense oligonucleotide which targets any portionof any HBV mRNA.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an antisense oligonucleotide which targets any portionof the human apolipoprotein H mRNA.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is a siRNA which targets any portion of any HBV mRNA.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is a siRNA which targets any portion of the humanapolipoprotein H mRNA.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is a shRNA which targets any portion of any HBV mRNA orthe human apolipoprotein H mRNA.

In another embodiment, the nucleic acid polymer, antisenseoligonucleotide or siRNA is further formulated as an oligonucleotidechelate complex.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide aptamer or Speigelmer targeting thehepatitis B surface antigen.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an oligonucleotide aptamer or Speigelmer targetingapolipoprotein H.

In another embodiment, the agent removing hepatitis B surface antigenfrom the blood is an antibody or antibody fragment that recognizes thehepatitis B surface antigen.

In another embodiment, the immunotherapeutic agent stimulating immunefunction comprises one or more compounds selected from the groupconsisting of:

-   -   Thymosin α1;    -   Any α-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any β-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any γ-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any λ-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Interferon α-2a or α-2b or α-N3;    -   Interferon β-1a or β-1b;    -   Interferon γ-1b;    -   Interferon λ1 or λ2 or λ3    -   Pegylated interferon α-2a or α-2b or λ1 or λ2;    -   Any antiviral cytokine or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Thymic protein A;    -   Any polypeptide shown to have antiviral activity or        immunostimulatory activity;    -   An immunostimulatory oligonucleotide including IMO-2055 or        IMO-2125;    -   A small molecule Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist including        GS-9620 or ANA-773; and    -   Any antiviral or immunostimulatory hormone including DHEA or its        metabolites.

In another embodiment, the immunotherapeutic agent stimulating immunefunction comprises one or more compounds selected from the groupconsisting of:

-   -   A non-CpG immunostimulatory oligonucleotide including IMO-2055        or IMO-2125;    -   A small molecule Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist including        GS-9620 or ANA-773; and    -   Any antiviral or immunostimulatory hormone including DHEA or its        metabolites.

In a further embodiment, the first and second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agents are formulated within the same pharmaceuticalcomposition.

In a further embodiment, the first and second agents are formulatedwithin separate pharmaceutical compositions.

In a further embodiment, the first and second agents are formulated fora simultaneous administration.

In a further embodiment, first and second agents are formulated for anadministration by a different route.

In a further embodiment, the first and second agents are formulated foran administration using one or more of the following: oral ingestion,aerosol inhalation, subcutaneous injection, intramuscular injection,intraperitoneal injection, intravenous injection and intravenousinfusion.

In a further embodiment, the agent removing HBsAg from the bloodcomprises one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   An antibody or antibody fragment which binds to the hepatitis B        surface antigen;

The following triazolopyrimidine derivatives:

An oligonucleotide selected from the following:

-   -   SEQ ID NO: 2;    -   SEQ ID NO: 3;    -   SEQ ID NO: 10;    -   SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 4-9;    -   A nucleic acid polymer selected from the following:        -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides            in length comprising repeats of the sequence AC;        -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides            in length comprising repeats of the sequence CA;        -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides            in length comprising repeats of the sequence TG and        -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides            in length comprising repeats of the sequence GT;    -   An antisense oligonucleotide targeting any part of any HBV mRNA;    -   An antisense oligonucleotide targeting any part of the human        apolipoprotein H mRNA;    -   A siRNA targeting any part of any HBV mRNA;    -   A siRNA targeting any part of the human apolipoprotein H mRNA;    -   A shRNA targeting any part of any HBV mRNA;    -   A shRNA targeting any part of the human apolipoprotein H mRNA;    -   A Speigelmer or aptamer targeting the hepatitis B surface        antigen and    -   A Speigelmer or aptamer targeting human apoliporotein H;        and the second immunotherapeutic agent comprises one or more        molecules from the group consisting of:    -   Thymosin α1;    -   Any α-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any β-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any γ-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any λ-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Interferon α-2a or α-2b or α-N3;    -   Interferon β-1a or β-1b;    -   Interferon γ-1b;    -   Interferon λ1 or λ2 or λ3    -   Pegylated interferon α-2a or α-2b or λ1 or λ2;    -   Any antiviral cytokine or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Thymic protein A;    -   Any polypeptide shown to have antiviral activity or        immunostimulatory activity;    -   An immunostimulatory oligonucleotide including IMO-2055 or        IMO-2125;    -   A small molecule Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist including        GS-9620 or ANA-773; and    -   Any antiviral or immunostimulatory hormone including DHEA or its        metabolites.

In a further embodiment, the following oligonucleotides can be furtherformulated as an oligonucleotide chelate complex:

SEQ ID NO: 2;

SEQ ID NO: 3;

SEQ ID NO 10;

SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 4-9;

A nucleic acid polymer selected from the following:

-   -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence AC;    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence CA;    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence TG; and    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence GT;    -   An antisense oligonucleotide targeting any part of any HBV mRNA;    -   An antisense oligonucleotide targeting any part of the human        apolipoprotein H mRNA;    -   A siRNA targeting any part of any HBV mRNA; and    -   A siRNA targeting any part of the human apolipoprotein H mRNA.

In another embodiment, the uses or method of treatments described abovefurther comprise administering or using concurrently a thirdpharmaceutically acceptable agent selected from the following:

tenofovir disoproxil fumarate;

entecavir;

telbuvidine;

adefovir dipivoxil; and

lamivudine.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 2 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferonα-2a.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID No: 2 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises pegylated interferon α-2a.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 3 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferonα-2a.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 3 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises pegylated interferon α-2a.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 10 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferonα-2a.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 10 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises pegylated interferon α-2a.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 2 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 2 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises thymosin α1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 3 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment oft hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 3 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises thymosin α1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 10 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1a.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 10 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises thymosin α1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 2 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferon α-2b.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 2 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises interferon α-2b.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 3 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferon α-2b.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 3 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises interferon α-2b.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 10 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferon α-2b.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 10 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises interferon α-2b.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 2 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferonλ1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 2 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises pegylated interferon λ 1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 3 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 3 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises pegylated interferon λ 1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 10 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 10 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises pegylated interferon λ 1.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 2 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 2 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises GS-9620.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 3 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 3 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises GS-9620.

There is also provided a method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises SEQ ID NO: 10 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.

There is also provided method for the treatment of or the use of thefollowing in the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method or use comprising administeringto a patient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex ofSEQ ID NO: 10 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises GS-9620.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the two triazolopyrimidine derivatives shown to blockthe release of HBsAg from the HBV producing cell line HepG2.2.15 asdescribed in Yu et al., 2011, J. Med. Chem. 54: 5660-5670. FIG. 1Adepicts lead candidate compound 1a (PBHBV-001) and FIG. 1B depicts thelead candidate compound 3c (PBHBV-2-15) as identified herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

HBsAg plays a key role in HBV infection and HBV/HDV co-infection. Asidefrom its role as an essential structural component for virion formation,HBsAg is also released in large amounts into the blood of infectedsubjects in the form of subviral particles (SVPs), which lack the viralcapsid and genome and which appear to function primarily to deliverHBsAg into the blood. SVPs are secreted from infected cells in1,000-10,000 fold excess over virus secretion which allows SVPs toeffectively sequester HBsAg antibodies (anti-HBs) so that HBV or HDVvirus in the blood can escape recognition by adaptive immunity. Althoughseveral studies have also suggested that HBsAg may also function todirectly block activation of adaptive and innate immune responses to HBVinfection (Cheng et al., 2005, Journal of hepatology, 43:4 65-471; Opden Brouw et al., 2009, Immunology, 126: 280-289; Vanlandschoot et al.,2002, The Journal of general virology, 83: 1281-1289; Wu et al., 2009,Hepatology, 49: 1132-1140; Xu et al., 2009, Molecular immunology, 46:2640-2646) the presence of this functionality in human HBV infection andHBV/HDV co-infection and its impact on the activity of immunotherapeuticagents has not been investigated or established. HBeAg and HBcAg havealso been shown to have immunoinhibitory properties (Kanda et al. 2012J. Inf. Dis. 206: 415-420; Lang et al. 2011 J. Hepatol. 55: 762-769;Gruffaz et al. 2013, J. Hepatol. 58 (supp1), p s155, Abstract 378).

In addition to the recognized activity of excess HBsAg in the blood (asSVPs) to sequester anti-HBs, the ability of HBsAg to block cytokinesignaling in some in vitro and in vivo systems suggests that theseimmuno-inhibitory properties of HBsAg may also be present in HBVinfection and HBV/HDV co-infection in human subjects. Due to the largeexcess of HBsAg in the blood of infected patients, there is likely aneffective impairment of many signaling mechanisms critical for optimalimmune function (both adaptive and innate). The novel disclosurespresented herein further establish for the first time that many of thesesignaling mechanisms are also likely essential for the effects ofimmunotherapeutic agents to be fully realized. These disclosures alsoestablish for the first time the critical effect of circulating HBsAg ininhibiting the action of immunotherapeutic agents.

It is provided herein the demonstration of an effective treatmentagainst HBV infection and HBV/HDV co-infection which consists of a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent capable of removing HBsAg from theblood and an immunotherapeutic agent which stimulates immune function.Such a combination treatment allows circulating anti-HBsAg antibodies todirectly attack the circulating virus and virus producing cells and, inthe absence of the immuno-inhibitory properties of HBsAg, leads to aprofound improvement in the effect of immunotherapy which it turnresults in a much greater proportion of patients achieving immunologicalcontrol of their HBV infection than with immunotherapy used alone.

Disclosed herein are novel demonstrations that, in addition to itspreviously described ability to block cytokine signaling in vitro,circulating HBsAg unexpectedly also directly inhibits the function ofapproved immunotherapies for the treatment of HBV in addition tosuppressing the host immune response against HBV infection. Thus atherapy which combines a first agent capable of removing HBsAg from theblood and a second agent which stimulates immune function results in anovel synergistic action between these two agents which has a profoundlyimproved effect on enabling the recovery of immunological control of HBVinfection.

Herein is presented data in human patients which shows that the removalof HBsAg (and other HBV antigens) from the blood of patients withchronic HBV (using nucleic acid polymers or NAPs) can allow for somemeasure of immunological recovery but that this level of immunologicalre-activation is not sufficient to generate a durable control in a largeproportion of patients. This data clearly teaches that any otherpharmaceutically acceptable agent or method which results in thereduction or removal of HBsAg (or in addition other HBV proteins) in theblood of infected patients will not be expected to achieve any bettertreatment outcome over those achieved with NAPs.

Herein is further presented data in human patients which demonstratesfor the first time that the presence of HBsAg in the blood of patientswith HBV infection suppresses the biochemical activity ofimmunotherapeutic agents like thymosin α1 or pegylated interferon α-2a.Using the NAP REP 2139, the HBsAg in the blood of patients with HBVinfection was removed prior to treatment with thymosin α1 or pegylatedinterferon α-2a. In an HBsAg negative environment, treatment with eitherof these two immunotherapeutic agents resulted in a profound andunexpected synergy in activating an immunological response (as measuredby production of anti-HBsAg antibodies in the blood) which wassubstantially stronger and occurred much more rapidly than normallyobserved when these immunotherapeutic agents are used in monotherapy.Most importantly, the removal of HBsAg from the blood in these patientsallowed these dramatic responses to immunotherapy to occur in mostpatients. Any kind of positive immunological response is infrequent inpatients treated with immunotherapeutic agents used in monotherapy.

These results also demonstrate for the first time that removal of HBsAgfrom the blood of patients with HBV infection or HBV/HDV infection willhave a synergistic impact on the ability of any immunotherapeutic agentto elicit a stronger immunological response in most or all patientsreceiving immunotherapy with a shorter treatment regimen than typicallyemployed. These results now clearly teach to anyone skilled in the artthat any method or pharmaceutically acceptable agent which removes HBsAgfrom the blood of HBV or HBV/HDV co-infected patients would be expectedto have the same beneficial and synergistic effect on improving thebiochemical activity of any pharmaceutically acceptableimmunotherapeutic agent. This improvement in the activity of theimmunotherapeutic agent would be realized when the reduction or removalof HBsAg was achieved before immunotherapy or concomitantly withimmunotherapy or when reduction or removal of HBsAg was achieved afterimmunotherapy had been previously started and continued.

The recognition of the profound synergistic antiviral effect of treatingpatients with a pharmaceutically acceptable agent which removes HBsAgfrom the blood (by any means) combined with a pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which stimulates immune function represents a novelapproach to achieving dramatically improved antiviral response withexisting immunotherapy which was not predictable or taught in the artprior to the disclosures herein.

The term oligonucleotide (ON) refers to an oligomer or polymer ofribonucleic acid (RNA) and/or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This termincludes ONs composed of modified nucleobases (including 5′methylcytosine and 4′ thiouracil), sugars and covalent internucleoside(backbone) linkages as well as ONs having non-naturally-occurringportions which function similarly. Such modified or substituted ONs maybe preferable over native forms because of desirable properties such as,for example, reduced immunoreactivity, enhanced cellular uptake,enhanced affinity for the nucleic acid target (in the context ofantisense ONs, siRNAs and shRNAs) and/or increased stability tonuclease-mediated degradation. ONs can also be double stranded. ONs alsoinclude single stranded molecules such as antisense oligonucleotides,Speigelmers and aptamers, as well as double stranded molecules such assmall interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs).

ONs can include various modifications, e.g., stabilizing modifications,and thus can include at least one modification in the phosphodiesterlinkage and/or on the sugar, and/or on the base. For example, the ON caninclude, without restriction, one or more modifications, or be fullymodified so as to contain all linkages or sugars or bases with therecited modifications. Modified linkages can include phosphorothioatelinkages, phosphorodithioate linkages, and/or methylphosphonatelinkages. While modified linkages are useful, the ONs can includephosphodiester linkages. Additional useful modifications include,without restriction, modifications at the 2′-position of the sugarincluding 2′-O-alkyl modifications such as 2′-O-methyl modifications, 2′O-methoxyethyl (2′ MOE), 2′-amino modifications, 2′-halo modificationssuch as 2′-fluoro; acyclic nucleotide analogs. Other 2′ modificationsare also known in the art and can be used such as locked nucleic acids.In particular, the ON has modified linkages throughout or has everylinkage modified, e.g., phosphorothioate; has a 3′- and/or 5′-cap;includes a terminal 3′-5′ linkage; the ON is or includes a concatemerconsisting of two or more ON sequences joined by a linker(s). Basemodifications can include 5′methylation of the cytosine base (5′methylcytosine or in the context of a nucleotide, 5′ methylcytidine)and/or 4′thioation of the uracil base (4′thiouracil or in the context ofa nucleotide, 4′thiouridine). Different chemically compatible modifiedlinkages can be combined where the synthesis conditions are chemicallycompatible such as having an oligonucleotide with phosphorothioatelinkages, a 2′ ribose modification (such as 2′O-methylation) and amodified base (such as 5′methylcytosine). The ON can further becompletely modified with all of these different modifications (e.g. eachlinkage phosphorothioated, each ribose 2′ modified and each base beingmodified).

In the present application, the term “nucleic acid polymer” or NAP isintended to identify any single stranded ON which contains no sequencespecific functionality, either to hydridize with a nucleic acid targetor adopt a sequence specific secondary structure which results inbinding to a specific protein. The biochemical activity of NAPs are notdependent on Toll-like receptor recognition of ONs, hybridization with atarget nucleic acid or aptameric interaction requiring a specificsecondary/tertiary ON structure derived from a specific order ofnucleotides present. NAPs can include base and or linkage and or sugarmodifications as described above. Exemplary NAP compounds include:

-   -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence AC;    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence CA;    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence TG;    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence GT;    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence UG;    -   A phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in        length comprising repeats of the sequence GU; and    -   SEQ ID NOs: 1-10.

ON chelate complexes are two or more ONs linked intermolecularly by adivalent or multivalent metal cation. ON chelate complexes neutralizethe inherent chelation properties of ONs which can contribute toadministration—related side effects with these compounds. Theadministration of ON chelate complexes is a method of administering anON to a subject where administration-related side effects associatedwith un-chelated ONs (which are ONs administered as sodium salts as iscommonly used in the art) are mitigated. These side effects may includeshivering, fever and chills with intravenous infusion or induration,inflammation and pain at the injection site with subcutaneousadministration. Moreover, by preparing ONs as chelated complexes, theirpharmacokinetic behavior may be improved, providing for increasedtherapeutic performance with similar dosing compared to un-chelated ONsas described in International application publication no. WO 2012/021985and U.S. application publication no. 2012/0046348, which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The administrationof ON chelate complexes does not interfere with the biochemical activityof ONs when used normally as sodium salts. Thus any antisense ON, siRNA,or NAP as described herein can be optionally prepared as an ON chelatecomplex without affecting its biochemical activity.

ON chelate complexes may contain diverse multivalent metal cationsincluding calcium, magnesium, cobalt, iron, manganese, barium, nickel,copper, zinc, cadmium, mercury and lead. It is further demonstrated thatchelation of these multivalent metal cations results in the formation ofON chelate complexes comprised of two or more ONs linked via metalcations and occur with ONs greater than 6 nucleotides in length, and inthe presence of ONs with either phosphodiester or phosphorothioatelinkages. ONs can optionally have each linkage phosphorothioated.Chelation also occurs with ONs containing 2′ modifications (such as 2′ Omethyl) at the ribose or containing modified bases such as5′methylcytosine or 4-thiouracil. These 2′ modifications can be presenton one or more or all riboses and modified bases can be present on oneor more bases or be universally present on each base (i.e. all cytosinesare present as 5′methylcytosine). Additionally, the ON chelate complexescan comprise ONs which contain multiple modifications such as eachlinkage phosphorothioated, each ribose 2′ modified and each basemodified. ON modifications compatible with ON chelate complex formationare further defined above. Moreover, the chelation of the metal cationsis not dependent on the sequence of nucleotides present but insteadrelies on the physiochemical features common to all ONs.

While the formation of ON chelate complexes can be achieved with anydivalent metal cation, ON chelate complexes intended for use asmedications should preferably contain only calcium and or magnesium butcould also contain iron, manganese, copper or zinc in trace amounts andshould not include cobalt, barium, nickel, cadmium, mercury, lead or anyother divalent metal not listed here.

ONs can exert their therapeutic effects by numerous mechanisms which areeither sequence dependent or sequence independent. Sequence dependentmechanisms are those which require a specific nucleic acid sequence fortheir activity and where the activity is reduced by one or morealterations in the nucleotide sequence present. This specific sequencemay encompass the entire length of the ON or only a portion of it (asequence motif). Examples of sequence dependent ONs include:

-   -   1. Antisense ONs either singled stranded or double stranded        (e.g. synthetic interfering RNA (siRNA) or small hairpin RNA        (shRNA)) are designed to target a specific region of a messanger        RNA (mRNA) or a micro RNA (miRNA) of interest by a specific        hybridization between the antisense ON and sequence in the        targeted portion of the mRNA of interest. When antisense ONs are        introduced into a cell, they result in the formation of a duplex        region on the mRNA or with the miRNA which directs the        degradation of this specific mRNA or miRNA by RNAse H. When        siRNAs is introduced into the cell (or shRNA is expressed in the        cell), the antisense strand (or guide strand) is incorporated        into the RISC(RNA-induced silencing complex) which uses        guide-strand targeted hybridization with the complimentary        region on a target mRNA to effect its cleavage by the catylytic        component of the RISC called Argonaute.    -   2. Stearic blocking ONs are single stranded antisense ONs which        are complimentary to a specific portion of a mRNA or an immature        mRNA but which are engineered to not activate RNAse H, either by        containing 2′ modification of every ribose, a modification known        to prevent the action of RNAse H or by using modified ON        chemistry (such as morpholino ONs) which is not recognized by        RNAse H. The hybridization of these ONs to their target mRNAs        results in a double stranded portion which provides stearic        hindrance to proteins normally acting on the RNA (such as        splicing proteins or ribosomes. Such ONs can be employed to        block translation of a particular mRNA or to modify the        post-transcriptional splicing and maturation of a particular        mRNA.    -   3. Aptamers are ONs which adopt a specific three dimensional        conformation capable of specific protein interaction and which        do not readily interact with host DNA or RNA. Aptamers can also        include Spiegelmers, which use L-nucleotides instead of        D-nucleotides to confer high enzymatic stability to the ON.    -   4. Immunostimulatory ONs contain specific modifications which        result in the binding to and activation of toll-like receptors        7, 8 and 9 via a non-CpG motif mediated mechanism and are        capable of stimulating immune function (Kandimalla et al. 2011.        Cell. Immunol. 270: 126-134; Struthers et al. 2010. Cell.        Immunol. 263: 105-113).

In the design of antisense ONs, siRNAs or shRNAs, the sequence of thesemolecules is designed to be 100% complimentary to the intended targetsequence of a specific RNA within the following guidelines:

-   -   Antisense ONs are 15-25 nucleotides in length and contain        sequence which is 100% complimentary to the intended target        sequence.    -   The guide strand of siRNA contains one oligoribonucleotide 19-21        nucleotides in length which is 100% complimentary to the        targeted portion of a mRNA of interest and the passenger strand        (the other strand in the duplex) contains the same length of        ribonucleotide sequence which is 100% complimentary to the guide        strand. Both the guide and passenger strand also have two        additional deoxythymidine nucleotides on the 3′ end of each        strand.    -   shRNA molecules are produced from an expression vector such as a        plasmid or viral based (e.g. lentivirus or adenovirus)        expression construct which produces a long RNA which comprises        the sequence of the guide and passenger strands (as described        above for siRNA but which can be 19-29 nucleotides in length) in        one contiguous oligonucleotide but separated by a short        non-complimentary oligonucleotide sequence designed to form a        hairpin. Transcription of RNA from this expression construct        results in the formation of a short hairpin RNA which is        processed by the dicer enzyme and loaded onto the RISC as        described above for siRNA.

In the present description, the term “antiviral ON” refers to anyantisense ON, siRNA, shRNA or NAP, which by virtue of its specificbiochemical activity (whether sequence dependent or sequenceindependent) has the ability to directly or indirectly inhibit someaspect of viral replication or to directly or indirectly enhance thehost's ability to clear the viral infection by immunological or othermechanisms.

In the present disclosure, the term “ON chelate complex” refers to acomplex of two or more ONs in solution linked intermolecularly by adivalent metal cation as described in International applicationpublication no. WO 2012/021985 and U.S. application publication no.2012/0046348, which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety. ON chelate complexes can be formed with antisense ONs, siRNAor NAPs.

In the present disclosure, the term “antiviral ON chelate complex”refers to a complex of two or more antiviral ONs in solution linkedintermolecularly by a multivalent metal cation.

Phosphorothioated NAPs are a novel class of ON-based broad spectrumantiviral agents (Bernstein et al., 2008, Antimicrobial Agents andChemotherapy, 52: 2727-2733; Cardin et al., 2009, Virology Journal, 6:214; Guzman et al., 2007, Antiviral Therapy, 12: 1147-1156; Lee et al.,2008, Virology, 372: 107-117; Matsumura et al., 2009, Gastroenterology,137: 673-681; Vaillant et al., 2006, Antimicrobial Agents andChemotherapy, 50: 1393-1401 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,008,269, 8,008,270 and8,067,385) which also block the formation and release of SVPs from HBVinfected hepatocytes (see Example I). As SVPs constitute >99.9% of theHBsAg in the blood of patients with HBV, blockage of SVP formationand/or release from infected hepatocytes by NAPs is a highly effectivemethod of removing HBsAg from the blood of patients infected with HBV.

As described in Example II, removal of HBsAg from the blood of infectedpatients by NAPs results in a partial restoration of the immune responsewhich in turn removes HBV e-antigen (HBeAg) from the blood andsubstantial reduction of levels of virus in the blood during treatmentbut which are not maintained in most patients after treatment isstopped. While this partial restoration of the immune response (in theabsence of HBsAg and other viral antigens) can lead to the establishmentof durable immunological control of HBV infection after treatment isstopped in a small proportion of patients, it is not sufficient toachieve this control off treatment in the majority of patients treated.Thus the approach of simply removing HBsAg from the blood by any methodor using any other pharmaceutically acceptable agent with similar effectwill provide only the same moderate level of immunological recovery thatwill result in the establishment of durable control off treatment in alimited proportion of patients.

Aside from NAPs, no other agent has been publicly disclosed which hasthe ability to rapidly remove HBsAg from the blood in HBV infected humanpatients. However, there are several other methodologies which could beemployed other than the use of NAPs to predictably achieve removal ofHBsAg from the blood which are well known in the art. Such methodologiesinclude (but are not limited to) the following:

-   -   A. Using a small molecule approach to target portions of the        HBsAg protein or other viral or host factors involved in the        formation of SVPs to block the formation of SVPs, block the        transport of SVPs through the secretory machinery of the        infected cell, block the release of SVPs from infected        hepatocytes into the blood or generally block the release of        HBsAg from infected cells. Small molecules used in this approach        can include triazolopyrimidine derivatives as described in Yu et        al. (2011, J. Med. Chem. 54: 5660-5670) and can include the        specific triazolopyrimidine derivatives as described in FIG. 1        which have been shown to block the release of HBsAg from        HBV-producing cell-lines. Other small molecules can also be used        which target the Apo H protein which may be important for the        production of SVPs (as described in Canadian application no.        2,746,981).    -   B. Using an antisense based ON approach, which includes        antisense oligonucleotides, siRNA or shRNA molecules to target        specific mRNAs and thereby catalyze their degradation to inhibit        the synthesis of HBsAg (i.e. catalyze the degradation of the        mRNA which is used to produce the HBsAg protein) or other viral        or host factors involved in the formation of SVPs (including Apo        H as described in Canadian application no. 2,746,981), the        transport of SVPs through the secretory machinery of the        infected cell or the release of SVPs from infected hepatocytes        into the blood. Such an antisense based approach could also be        employed to hybridize with viral or host mRNAs required for the        synthesis of proteins important for the formation, intracellular        transit or release of SVPs from infected hepatocytes and cause        the degradation of these mRNAs by the mechanisms described        above. In particular, some antisense-based approaches in HBV may        be particularly advantageous as single antisense molecules such        as siRNAs can be designed to interfere with all HBV mRNAs        produced from the viral genome by hybridizing to a single region        on the HBV genome causing the degradation of all mRNAs produced        from the HBV gemone which simultaneously affects HBsAg, HBeAg        and HBcAg synthesis as described in Fu et al. (2008, Acta        Pharmacol. Sin. 29: 1522-1528). Two or more antisense molecules        could also be used simultaneously either as separate molecules        or as molecules produced from a single expression vector        introduced into the infected host as described by Snyder et al.        (2008, Antiviral Res., 80: 36-44). Examples known in the art for        antisense-based inhibition of the synthesis of HBV proteins        include:        -   a. Altritol-modified siRNA lipoplexes (Hean et al., 2010,            Artificial DNA: PNA & XNA, 1:17-26).        -   b. One or more siRNA sequences (Xin et al., 2008, World J.            Gastroenterol., 14: 3849-3854; Zhe et al., 2005, J. Zhejiang            Univ. Sci., 6B: 236-241 and reviewed in Chen et al., 2008,            Pharmaceutical Res., 25: 72-86).        -   c. One or more siRNA sequences and a polyconjugate system            (ARC-520)        -   d. Locked nucleic acid-modified antisense molecules (Sum et            al., 2011, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 409: 430-435).        -   e. One or more shRNAs (Zhang et al., 2010, BMC Microbiol.            10:214; Starkey et al., 2009, J. Gen Virol. 90: 115-126 and            reviewed in Chen et al., 2008, Pharmaceutical Res., 25:            72-86).    -   C. Using an ON-based aptamer approach (including classical        aptamers or Spiegelmers) to target portions of the HBsAg, HBeAg        or HBcAg proteinsor other viral or host factors (including        Apo H) present in the circulation to accelerate their removal        from the blood. Classical aptamers and Spiegelmers can be        further pegylated as described in Waters et al. 2011 Blood 117:        5514-5522 and Wlotzka et al. 2002 Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.        99: 8898-8902 to improve their stability and circulating        half-life.    -   D. Using an antibody based approach to directly target HBsAg and        accelerate its removal from the blood.

The term “removal of HBsAg from the blood” as used herein means anystatistically significant reduction of the concentration HBsAg in theblood relative to pre-treatment HBsAg blood concentrations as measuredby the Abbott Architect™ quantitative HBsAg assay. This serum HBsAgassay is an accepted standard for the measurement of levels of HBsAg inthe blood and is approved for diagnostic use in human patients.

Examples of ONs which can be useful in the current disclosure areprovided in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Examples of ONs which can be useful in the current disclosure.Nucleic ON class acid type Sequence (5′-3′) Modifications NAP DNA (AC)₂₀All linkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 2) NAP DNA (CA)₂₀ All linkages PS (SEQ IDNO: 1) NAP DNA (A-5′MeC)₂₀ All linkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 3) NAP DNA(5′MeC-A)₂₀ All linkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 4) NAP RNA (2′OMeA-2′OMeC)₂₀ Alllinkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 5) NAP RNA (2′OMeC-2′OMeA)₂₀ All linkages PS(SEQ ID NO: 6) NAP DNA (TG)₂₀ All linkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 7) NAP DNA(GT)₂₀ All linkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 8) NAP RNA (2′OMe, 5′MeC-2′OMeA)₂₀All linkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 9) NAP RNA (2′OMeA-2′OMe, 5′MeC)₂₀ Alllinkages PS (SEQ ID NO: 10) antisense DNA/ Sequence is 100%complimentary to All linkages PS, may contain a RNA a viral or host mRNA(e.g. Apo H) or portion of RNA with 2′ ribose to a HBV mRNA modificationor LNA siRNA Double Contains sequence 100% May contain RNA with 2′ribose stranded complimentary to a viral or host modification, maycontain PS RNA/ mRNA (e.g. Apo H) or to a HBV DNA mRNA shRNA DoubleContains sequence 100% RNA stranded complimentary to a viral or host RNAmRNA (e.g. Apo H) or to a HBV produced mRNA from an expression vector PS= phosphorothioate, 2′OMe = 2′ O methyl, 5′MeC = 5′methylcytosine

Exemplary effective dosing regimens for the various pharmaceuticallyacceptable agents described above which can be used to achieve HBsAgremoval from the blood are:

-   -   For all NAPs and phosphorothioated antisense oligonucleotides        that cause the degradation of HBV or apoH mRNA, the routine use        of weekly parenteral administration of 100-500 mg of compound is        well established in the art to result in the achievement of        therapeutically active levels of these compounds in the liver as        described for NAPs in the examples below and for a        phosphorothioated antisense ON causing the degradation of a        liver specific mRNA (for apolipoprotein B100) by Akdim et al.        2010 Journal of the Americal College of Cardiology 55:        1611-1618).    -   To achieve therapeutic levels of activity in the liver, siRNAs        are typically encapsulated and dosed for the specific        application of degrading the mRNA for PCSK9 in the liver.    -   As described above, encapsulated siRNAs can achieve therapeutic        effect in the liver of human patients with parenteral doses        ranging from 0.015-0.20 mg/kg and are expected to be able to        provide persistent effect with dosing once every two weeks or        once monthly.    -   shRNA has not yet been used in the human setting but work in        vivo in rodents has shown that expression vectors designed to        express shRNA, when dosed in mice at comparable concentrations        as siRNA, can be equivalently effective as siRNA (McAnuff et        al. 2007. Journal of Pharmaceutical Science 96: 2922-2930. It is        therefore expected that shRNA dosing, either using viral-based        or encapsulation based delivery systems as described above,        achieve comparable effect in the liver with dosing regimens        comparable to that used for siRNA.    -   Aptamers are typically pegylated to achieve improved stability        and can be therapeutically effective with weekly parenteral        doses of 100-600 μg/kg as described by Waters et al. 2011 Blood        117: 5514-5522.

Speiglemers are also typically pegylated to achieve an improvedcirculating half-life and can be therapeutically effective withparenteral doses of >1.2 mg/kg given every other day as described byRiecke et al. 2012 Abstract 2432 presented at the 54^(th) Annual ASHMeeting and Exposition, Atlanta, Ga., U.S.A. In the context of bindingto and accelerating the removal of HBsAg or other HBV proteins from theblood of HBV-infected patients, higher doses of both aptamers orSpeiglemers may be required due to the high concentrations of HBsAgtypically present in patients with HBV infection.

As described above, immunotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of HBVinfection have limited efficacy. One of the limitations ofinterferon-based monotherapy is the achievement of HBsAg removal fromthe blood in a very small fraction of patients (Moucari et al., 2009,Antiviral Ther., 14: 1183-1188; Reijnders et al., 2011, J. Hepatol., 54:449-454). This HBsAg removal may underlie the achievement of durablecontrol of HBV DNA on and off treatment in this small fraction oftreated patients (Moucari et al., 2009, Hepatology, 49: 1151-1157).Another important limitation of interferon-based therapy is that itelicits only a moderate level (<50 mIU/ml) of anti-HBs production in avery small proportion of patients on treatment (Reijnders et al., 2011,J. Hepatol., 54: 449-454; Harayiannis et al., 1990, J. Hepatol., 10:350-352) after 48 weeks of exposure. These important limitations arelikely critical factors underlying the achievement of a sustainedvirologic response only in a limited number of patients afterimmunotherapy.

As described above, HBsAg can block signaling pathways important forcytokine mediated stimulation of immune function. It is well known inthe art that many different classes of immunotherapeutic agents utilizeseveral common signal transduction pathways to effect immune activation.The disclosures presented herein further show that many (or most) ofthese signal transduction pathways used by immunotherapeutic agents maybe also blocked by the action of HBsAg. The novel disclosures hereinindicate that the action of different immunotherapies are specificallyinhibited by the presence of HBsAg and the therapeutic effects of thesedifferent immunotherapies, when provided in a treatment regimen, aresynergistically improved in the absence of HBsAg. Therefore, removal ofHBsAg from the blood would in turn result in a weaker inhibition ofsignaling pathways required for optimal activity of numerous differentimmunotherapeutic agents. Thus application of immunotherapy in patientswho have previously removed HBsAg in their blood or who are activelyremoving HBsAg in the blood while on immunotherapy would likelyexperience a similar synergistic impact on the immunostimulatory effectof any immunotherapy.

In the present disclosure, the term immunotherapeutic agent refers to asmall molecule or polypeptide or cytokine or hormone which by virtue ofits specific biochemical activity has the ability to directly orindirectly enhance the immune function of the host. The polypeptide canbe naturally derived or recombinant. The polypeptide can berecombinantly derived from a portion of the naturally occurringpolypeptide. The polypeptide can be pegylated or not.

The methods for pegylation of polypeptides and the compatibility ofpegylation with the biochemical activity of these polypeptides is wellknown in the art and consists of the linking of strands ofpolyethyleneglycol (PEG) to the polypeptide in question at specificamino acid residues. The primary function of pegylation is to increasethe circulating lifetime of a polypeptide and also to reduce itsimmunogenicity. These features improve the tolerability of thepolypeptide in question and reduce the frequency of dosing required foroptimal therapeutic effect. It is further known in the art that theattachment of PEG residues to a polypeptide can be achieved withoutaffecting the specific biochemical activity of the polypeptide inquestion. Pegylation is also known to increase the water solubility ofthe polypeptide in question, improving its ease of formulation. Numerousexamples of pegylated polypeptides are known in the art and include:Mircera™ a pegylated form of erythropoietin; Neulasta™, a pegylated formof human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; Pegasys™ a pegylatedform of human interferon α-2a; Peg-Intron™, a pegylated form of humaninterferon α-2b; and pegylated interferon λ1 (which is currently inclinical development).

Additionally, immunotherapeutic agents which have not been previouslyshown to have useful immunotherapeutic activity in the presence of HBVproteins (e.g. in infected patients, chimpanzees or cellular models) maynow be shown to have useful immunotherapeutic activity with the removalof HBsAg from the blood and may be further useful in the treatment ofHBV in combination with any agent which removes HBsAg from the blood.

The demonstration of antiviral activity of any immunotherapeutic agentis generally accepted as an indirect measure of its ability to stimulateimmune function such that this stimulated immune function has antiviralaffect. Therefore, any immunotherapeutic agent with antiviral activityhas an ability to stimulate immune function.

Several immunotherapeutic agents are currently approved for thetreatment of viral infections which include pegylated interferon α-2a(Pegasys™) for the treatment of HBV and hepatitis C(HCV)), interferonα-2b (Intron-A™) for the treatment of HBV and HCV) and thymosin α1(Zadaxin™) for the treatment of HBV in most Asian countries. There arealso other immunotherapeutic agents with demonstrated antiviral activityincluding the cytokines interferon λ1, λ2,λ3 and γ and TNFα (Friborg etal., 2013, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 57: 1312-1322; Lau etal. 1991, Hepatology 14: 975-979; McClary et al. 2000. Journal ofVirology 74: 2255-2264; Robek et al. 2005. Journal of Virology 79:3851-3854), pegylated interferon λ1 (Muir et al., 2010, Hepatology, 52:822-832), and small molecule Toll-like receptor agonists like GS-9620(currently in development by Gilead Sciences), ANA-773 (currently indevelopment by Anadys) and the immunostimulatory oligonucleotidesIMO-2055 and IMO-2125 (currently in development by IderaPharmaceuticals) (Wu et al., 2007, Hepatology, 46: 1769-1778; Horscroftet al., 2012, J. Antimicrob. Chemotherapy, 67: 789-801). Additionally,the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (5-androstene-3β-17-one, DHEA) andmany of its metabolites (including androstenediol(5-androstene-3β-17β-diol, βAED), androstenetriol(5-androstene-3β-7β-17β triol βAET) have clear, well establishedimmunostimulatory functionality with the capability to improve thedevelopment of a protective vaccine response against viral infectionsand provide direct antiviral activity against numerous viral infectionsin vivo (Araeno et al., 1993, J. Inf. Dis., 167: 830-840; Danenberg etal., 1995, Vaccine, 13: 1445-1448; Khorram et al., 1997, J. Gerontol. A.Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., 52: M1-M7; Loria and Padgett, 1998, Rinsho Byori,46: 505-517; Loria, 2002, Steroids, 67: 953-966; Knoferl et al., 2003,J. Appl. Physiol., 95: 529-535; Oberbeck et al., 2007, Inten. Car Med.,33: 2207-2213; Burdnick et al., 2009, Int. Immunopharmacol., 9:1342-1346; Hazeldine et al., 2010, J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol., 120:127-136; Schmitz et al., 2013, Med. Chem., February 15, Epub ahead ofprint).

The measure of stimulation of immune function as described in thecurrent disclosures and in the context of HBV infection is most easilymeasured by (but not restricted to) changes in the levels of freeanti-HBsAg antibodies produced in a patient receiving immunotherapy. Theuse of the Abbott Architect™ quantitative anti-HBsAg antibody test is amethod accepted worldwide for the evaluation levels of free anti-HBsAgantibodies in the serum of patients with chronic HBV infection and theappearance of or increased production of anti-HBsAg antibodies inpatients with HBV infection is an accepted surrogate measure of immuneresponse in these patients who receive immunotherapy or HBV polymeraseinhibition therapy.

There are other accepted measures of immune function which may beemployed to monitor improvement of immune function in the presence ofthe combination treatments as described above. These measures mayinclude increases in the transcriptional activity of interferon-responsegenes or increases in the levels of HBV-specific CD4+ or CD8+ T-cells inthe blood or the increased levels of various cytokines in the blood suchas IL2 (Liang et al. 2011. Virology Journal 8: 69).

The use of vaccination against HBV (typically using HBsAg as theantigen) is a well-recognized method for effectively preventing HBVinfection and is a method adopted world-wide for the prevention of thespread of HBV infection. However, vaccination against HBV antigens hasonly a moderate to negligible effect in a therapeutic setting, even whenthe vaccine combines two different HBV antigens such as HBsAg and HBcAg(Mahtab et al. 2013. J. Hepatol. 58 (supp 1) abstract 760). According tothe disclosures provided herein, this poor effect may be due to thecirculating levels of HBsAg present in the blood of these patients andtherefore the ability of a vaccine to stimulate the production of newantibodies to HBsAg (or to other HBV proteins) may be greatly improvedwith removal of HBsAg from the blood.

Thus there are many immunotherapeutic agents known to be able tostimulate immune function which may be of utility when administeredbefore, during or after removal of HBsAg from the blood, theseimmunotherapeutic agents include (without restriction):

-   -   Thymosin α1;    -   Any α-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any β-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any γ-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any λ-interferon or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Interferon α-2a or α-2b or α-N3;    -   Interferon β-1a or β-1b;    -   Interferon γ-1b;    -   Interferon λ1 or λ2 or λ3;    -   Thymic protein A;    -   Any antiviral cytokine or pegylated derivatives thereof;    -   Any polypeptide shown to have antiviral activity or        immunostimulatory activity;    -   An immunostimulatory oligonucleotide such as IMO-2125 and        IMO-2055;    -   A vaccine targeting any HBV antigen;    -   A small molecule Toll-like receptor agonist such as GS-9620, and        ANA-773; and    -   Any hormone shown to have antiviral activity or        immunostimulatory activity such as DHEA or its metabolites.

Exemplary effective dosing regimen of immunotherapeutic agents used toachieve stimulation of immune function can include:

-   -   Weekly doses of 90-180 ug in the case of Pegasys™ (according to        the package insert);    -   Weekly doses of 1.6 mg in the case of Zadaxin™ (according to the        package insert);    -   Weekly doses of 1×10⁷ U in the case of Intron-A™ (according to        the package insert);    -   Weekly doses of 1.5-3.0 ug/kg in the case of pegylated        interferon λ1 as described in Muir et al., 2010, Hepatology, 52:        822-832;    -   Similar weekly doses as described above for any cytokine or        immunotherapeutic peptide whether pegylated or unpegylated;    -   Weekly doses of 0.16-0.48 mg/kg/week for the non CpG        immunostimulatory oligonucleotide IMO-2125:        Normally proscribed vaccine doses according to the convention        practices in the art and specifically for the HBV vaccines        Energix-B™, Recombivax-HB™.

Therefore, with the disclosures presented herein any of the aboverecited methods or agents capable of achieving removal of HBsAg in theblood of patients when combined with the stimulation of the host immunefunction by any of the immunotherapeutic agents recited above would beexpected to produce a synergistic effect on the reconstitution of theimmune function in patients with HBV infection or HBV/HDV co-infection.In addition to achieving the restoration of an immune function betterable to sustain control of infection off treatment, such synergy couldalso be expected to reduce the dose of one or both agents and even theduration of treatment with either agent required to establish atherapeutically effective immune response in a majority of patients.Example III illustrates the synergistic effect on immunological recoverywhen removal of HBsAg by the NAP REP 2139 is followed by add-on therapywith either thymosin α1 or pegylated interferon α-2a.

In the context of combining an agent which can remove HBsAg from theblood with an immunotherapeutic agent, any amount of HBsAg removal mayprovide a synergistic improvement in the activity of an immunotherapyand a fractional dose of a particular immunotherapeutic agent may resultin comparable or even superior immunostimulatory activity of animmunotherapeutic agent, even if HBsAg is not completely removed. Thus,combining any agent resulting in HBsAg removal from the blood with anyimmunotherapeutic agent will have a synergistic effect on the action ofboth agents which has the potential to improve the durability of theantiviral response (host immunological control) off treatment and mayalso require reduced doses of both agents to achieve a similar or evensuperior effect than when either is used in monotherapy.

Therefore, according to the disclosures presented herein, it may beuseful to treat a subject with HBV infection or HBV/HDV co-infectionwith a pharmaceutically acceptable agent which results in the reductionof or clearance of HBsAg from the blood in combination with a secondpharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent.

It may also be useful to administer both pharmaceutically acceptableagents in the same pharmaceutical composition or to administer bothpharmaceutically acceptable agents in separate pharmaceuticalcompositions at the same time or at different times.

It may also be useful to administer the pharmaceutically acceptableagents by the same or different routes of administration.

In order to provide the best possible antiviral response in a subject,it may be necessary to add to the combination therapies described abovea HBV polymerase inhibitor such as (but are not restricted to):tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, entecavir, telbuvidine, adefovirdipivoxil or lamivudine. Such antiviral drugs can prevent thereplication of the double stranded viral genome in HBV and lower theconcentration of HBV virus in the blood.

The compositions described herein may be administered by any suitablemeans, for example, orally, such as in the form of tablets, capsules,granules or powders; sublingually; buccally; parenterally, such as bysubcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular or injection or infusiontechniques (e.g., as sterile injectable aqueous or non-aqueous solutionsor suspensions); by inhalation; topically, such as in the form of acream or ointment; or rectally such as in the form of suppositories orenema; in dosage unit formulations containing non-toxic,pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles or diluents. The presentcompositions may, for example, be administered in a form suitable forimmediate release or extended release. Immediate release or extendedrelease may be achieved by the use of suitable pharmaceuticalcompositions, or, particularly in the case of extended release, by theuse of devices such as subcutaneous implants or osmotic pumps. Thus, theabove compositions may be adapted for administration by any one of thefollowing routes: oral ingestion, inhalation, subcutaneous injection,intramuscular injection, intraperitoneal injection, intravenousinjection or infusion, or topically.

The present disclosure will be more readily understood by referring tothe following examples.

EXAMPLE I NAPs Inhibit the Transit of HBsAg Out of Cells

HBsAg has been shown to block many aspects of the immune response to HBVinfection (Cheng et al., 2005, J. Hepatology, 43: 465-471; Moucari etal., Hepatology 49: 1151-1157; Vanlandschoot et al., 2002, J. Gen.Virol. 83: 1281-1289; Woltman et al., 2011, PloS One 6: e15324; Wu etal., 2009, Hepatology 49: 1132-1140 and Xu et al., 2009, Mol.Immunology. 46: 2640-2646). Therefore, elimination of circulating HBsAgmay be a critical factor in allowing the restoration of immunocompetencein patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. An efficient method foreliminating HBsAg in the circulation is to prevent the formation and orrelease of subviral particles (SVPs) from infected cells (SVPs are themajor carrier of HBsAg to the blood). The morphogenesis andintracellular transit of SVPs can be modeled in vitro in BHK-21 cells byexpressing the small form of the HBsAg protein (sHBsAg) which is theform specifically enriched in SVPs. This model system is considered tobe a surrogate model for the morphogenesis and transit of HBV SVPs(Patient et al., 2007, J. Virology 81: 3842-3851). Owing to the criticalrole of serum HBsAg in allowing chronicity of HBV infection, theefficacy of compounds in this model demonstrates their antiviralactivity against HBV.

Various NAP compounds were tested in sHBsAg-expressing BHK-21 cellsincluding the fully degenerate phosphorothioated NAPs REP 2006 and REP2107, a non-phosphorothioated, fully 2′ O methylated degenerate NAP (REP2086) as well as the NAPs consisting of a poly AC sequence: REP 2055(SEQ ID NO: 2) and REP 2148 (SEQ ID NO: 3). These NAPs were introducedinto BHK-21 cells at the same time as the template RNA for sHBsAgexpression using electroporation. Activity in the BHK model system wasassessed by visualizing the location of HBsAg protein inside the BHK-21cells by immunofluorescence microscopy. Formation of SVPs in theperinuclear space was visualized by transmission electron microscopy.Compounds were judged to be active if HBsAg was restricted to theperinuclear space and prevented from transiting to the periphery of thecell (secretion) or if the formation of SVPs was prevented. The activityof the various NAP compounds are summarized in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Effect of various NAPs on HBsAg transit in BHK-21 cells HBsAgretained in HBsAg transit the perinuclear to cellular NAP spaceperiphery SVP formation control (no NAP − ++++ ++++ present) REP 2006++++ − − REP 2107 +++ + − REP 2086 − ++++ ++++ REP 2055 ++++ − notexamined (SEQ ID NO: 2) REP 2148 ++++ − not examined (SEQ ID NO: 3) − =effect not observed + to ++++ = marginal to complete effect observed

The results with treatment of sHBsAg expressing BHK-21 cells with REP2006 and REP 2107 demonstrate the ability to NAPs to block formation ofSVPs and the transit of sHBsAg in a sequence independent fashion. Thelack of activity with REP 2086 demonstrates that these activities ofNAPs are strictly dependent on the presence of phosphorothioation.Moreover, this ability was retained in the presence of 2′ ribosemodification (in REP 2107) and base modification (5′ methylcytosine inthe case of REP 2148). Additionally, REP 2107, REP 2055 are known to becompletely devoid of any immunostimulatory activity and were comparablyactive to REP 2006. Also the defined sequence of poly AC (REP 2055 andREP 2148) was comparably active to the degenerate sequence (REP 2006 andREP 2107).

These results show that within the context of a degenerate sequence andsequences containing repeats of alternating purine/pyrimidinenucleotides such as AC (and therefore also CA) and also such as TG andGT or UG and GU and optionally comprising 2′ ribose modifications and/orbase modifications, NAPs will be expected to be able to block theformation of and intracellular transit and secretion of SVPs frominfected cells at oligonucleotide lengths from 20-120 nucleotidesaccording to the sequence independent properties of NAPs as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 8,008,269B2, 8,008,270B2 and 8,067,385B2.

EXAMPLE II Effect of HBsAg Clearance from the Blood of HBV InfectedPatients on Removal of Other HBV Proteins and Immunological Recovery

Patients chronically infected with HBV were treated with the NAP REP2055 (also known as REP 9AC, SEQ ID NO: 2) to remove HBsAg from theirblood. The effect of REP 2055 administration (typically weekly dosing of400 mg) on HBsAg levels in the blood was monitored using the AbbottArchitect™ quantitative HBsAg test and is presented in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Effect of treatment with the NAP REP 2055 on blood levels ofHBsAg in patients with chronic HBV infection. Pretreatment End oftreatment HBsAg HBsAg Patient (IU/ml) (IU/ml) 1 934 0.14 2 1885.4 0.38 3384.1 0.00 4 126465.07 0.03 5 158180 0.00 6 36996 7.00 7 4672.5 43.7

The removal of HBsAg from the blood elicited an immunological recoveryas evidenced by the additional reduction of circulating HBeAg (measuredin two patients by the Abbott Architect™ quantitative HBeAg test—seeTable 4), the appearance of free anti-HBsAg antibodies (as measured bythe Abbott Architect™ quantitative test—see Table 5) and reduction ofHBV virus in the blood (HBV DNA as measured by the Roche Cobas™quantitative test—see Table 6). While reductions in circulating HBVvirus were observed in all patients, these were of varying degrees.Moreover, the levels of free-anti-HBsAg antibody titers detected ontreatment in most of these patients was moderate at best and in mostcases inferior to anti-HBsAg antibody titers in the blood observed withthe HBsAg vaccination of healthy non-infected adults.

TABLE 4 Effect of HBsAg clearance on HBeAg clearance. Pretreatment Ontreatment HBeAg Patient HBeAg (IU/ml*) (IU/ml*) 1 1181.29 7.63 2 78.258.211 *measured using the Abbott Architect ™ quantitative assay

TABLE 5 Effect of HBsAg clearance on the detection of free anti-HBsAgantibody in patients with chronic HBV infection. Pretreatment End oftreatment anti-HBsAg* anti-HBsAg* Patient (mIU/ml) (mIU/ml) 1 0 13.2 2 122.8 3 5.68 277 4 3 5.39 5 4.99 385.7 6 1 19.7 7 2 19.2 *measured usingthe Abbott Architect ™ quantitative assay

TABLE 6 Effect of HBsAg clearance on blood levels of HBV virus (HBV DNA)Pretreatment End of treatment HBV DNA* HBV DNA* Patient (copies/ml ofserum) (copies/ml of serum) 1   2 × 10⁶ <500 2 1.4 × 10⁷ 1.39 × 10⁴  34.5 × 10⁷ <116 4  1.9 × 10¹² 3.1 × 10⁶ 5  7.9 × 10¹¹ <116 6  4.8 × 10¹¹  372 7 1.8 × 10⁷ 3.5 × 10⁶ *measured using the Roche Cobas ™ assay

Removal of REP 2055 treatment from these patients led to the eventuallong term rebound in viremia in 5/7 patients who had cleared serum HBVproteins (reappearance of HBsAg in the blood, reduction or disappearanceof anti-HBsAg antibodies in the blood and rise of HBV DNA topre-treatment levels). Thus, treatment with NAPs, or any other agentwhich results in the removal of HBsAg (and other HBV antigens) from theblood, will be expected to experience a similar rebound in viralactivity when treatment is halted in the absence of any concomitantimmunotherapy.

EXAMPLE III Combination Therapy with a NAP Chelate Complex and TwoDifferent Immunotherapies in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B inHuman Patients

REP 2139-Ca is the calcium chelate complex of the NAP REP 2139 (SEQ IDNO: 10) prepared in normal saline using a ratio of 30 mg of CaCl₂ forevery 100 mg of oligonucleotide present. The preparation of REP 2139 asa calcium chelate complex is used to improve the tolerability of ONadministration (see International application publication no.WO2012/021985 and U.S. application publication no. 2012/0046348), anddoes not interfere with its specific antiviral activity. REP 2139-Ca(typically administered with weekly 500 mg doses) clears HBsAg from theblood (and subsequently HBeAg) and HBV virions (HBV DNA) in HBV infectedpatients in identical fashion to REP 2055 via the same mechanism ofaction (see Tables 3, 4 and 6 versus 7, 8 and 9 respectively) andtherefore also demonstrates that NAPs containing both 2′ ribosemodifications and modified bases (e.g. REP 2139) can act to reduce HBsAgin the blood and that ONs prepared as chelate complexes (e.g. REP2139-Ca) can be used to reduce or clear HBsAg from the blood.

TABLE 7 Effect of REP 2139-Ca monotherapy on serum HBsAg in patientswith chronic HBV infection. serum HBsAg (mIU/ml)* Patient Pre-treatmentREP 2139-Ca 1 70050 0.19 2 13400 0 3 3654.3 0.34 4 47689.7 180.44 5107659 32.15 6 58937.87 9.91 7 17988 29.21 8 125000 0.01 9 1288.56 0.02*measured using the Abbott Architect ™ quantitative HBsAg assay

TABLE 8 Effect of REP 2139-Ca induced HBsAg clearance on serum HBeAglevels serum HBeAg (index*) Patient Pre-treatment REP 2139-Ca 1 1.4880.38 2 556.27 0.34 3 662.09 1.62 4 1100.43 0.31 5 1815.75 1.11 6 561.960.32 7 15.27 18.27 8 1767.85 0.40 9 101.73 19.35 *<1 = not detected, ≧1= highly infectious state

TABLE 9 Effect of REP 2139-Ca monotherapy on serum HBV DNA (virions) inpatients with chronic HBV infection. serum HBV (copies/ml)* PatientPre-treatment REP 2139-Ca 1 9.89 × 10⁸** 791 2 1.66 × 10⁸ 1680 3 2.01 ×10⁸ 3643 4 1.28 × 10⁸ 9060 5 9.89 × 10⁸ 2.52 × 10⁶ 6 8.71 × 10⁸ 558 7 7.1 × 10⁵ 1.94 × 10⁴ 8 9.89 × 10⁸ 552 9  9.9 × 10⁶ 3250 *measured usingthe Roche Cobas ™™ assay **upper limit of quantification

As described in Example II, the limitation of NAP therapy (or anytherapy which can clear HBsAg) is that while the patient's currentlevels of anti-HBs production are “freed” to clear the virus during NAPtherapy, this level of antibody production (and the removal ofimmuno-inhibition caused by HBsAg) in most patients is not sufficient toprovide complete control of HBV infection after NAP treatment isstopped. REP 2139-mediated HBsAg clearance from the blood achieved thesame general levels of anti-HBsAg antibodies in the blood as REP 2055when used in monotherapy (see Tables 5 and 10 [end of monotherapy]) andas such would be clearly expected to result in the same poor retentionof immunological control when treatment was withdrawn as was the casefor the NAP REP 2055 (see Example II above). The results of NAPs used inmonotherapy identifies what is a likely underlying (and previouslyunrecognized) defect in the ability of the immune system to regenerate afully competent immune response to the HBV infection even in the absenceof these HBV proteins, which is likely caused by chronic exposure toHBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg causing durable immunological damage whichpersists in HBV-infected subjects even after these antigens are clearedfrom the blood.

To examine if NAP treatment (which removes HBsAg from the blood) couldsynergize with immunotherapy (stimulation of immune function), patientswho had cleared or reduced their serum HBV proteins while on REP 2139-Camonotherapy received either thymosin α1 (Zadaxin™—given as a 1.6 mgsubcutaneous injection twice weekly) or pegylated interferon α-2a(Pegasys™—given as a 90-180 μg subcutaneous injection once weekly) as anadd-on therapy to continued REP 2139-Ca administration. Pegylatedinterferon α-2a is sold under the trademark Pegasys™ by Roche Inc.(Basel, Switzerland) and is approved for the treatment of chronic HBVinfection. Thymosin α1 is sold under the trademark Zadaxin™ by SciClonePharmaceuticals (Foster City, Calif., U.S.A.) and is also approved forthe treatment of chronic HBV infection

Interferon-based monotherapy typically results in only a moderate level(<50 mIU/ml) of anti-HBsAg antibody in the blood in a very smallproportion of patients (<10%) after 48 weeks of therapy (Reijnders etal., 2011, J. Hepatol., 54: 449-454; Harayiannis et al., 1990, J.Hepatol., 10: 350-352) and the antiviral effects of thymosin α1 aresimilarily limited (Yang et al., 2008, Antiviral Res. 77: 136-141).However, when either thymosin α1 or pegylated interferon α-2a was addedto REP 2139-Ca treatment after HBsAg removal from the blood had beenachieved, a profound increase in anti-HBsAg antibody levels was achievedin all patients which greatly exceeded anti-HBsAg levels observed withNAP-mediated HBsAg clearance alone or those reported for immunotherapyalone (see Table 10). Moreover, this clearly synergistic effect onincreases in anti-HBsAg antibody levels was achieved with only 13 weeksof immunotherapy in combination with REP 2139-Ca (compared to a 48 weekregimen usually prescribed for these immunotherapies) and also occurredin two patients with half the dose of Pegasys (90 ug) normallyprescribed for the treatment of HBV. In addition, this synergisticresponse occurred in 9/9 (100%) of patients. The profound re-activationof anti-HBsAg production observed with the add-on immunotherapy afterHBV protein removal from the blood is only one direct measure of thesynergistically improved functioning of immunotherapy in the absence ofHBsAg. Based on these findings, one would predict synergisticallyimproved performance in other areas of immune stimulation such as T-cellmediated immunity and innate immunity, which may also be required toachieve complete immunological control over HBV infection.

TABLE 10 Synergistic effect on anti-HBsAg production after combinationtreatment with REP 2139-Ca and thymosin α1 or pegylated interferon α-2aserum anti-HBsAg antibody (mIU/ml)* Immunotherapeutic REP 2139-Ca REP2139-Ca + add- agent given in (end of on combination Patientmonotherapy) immunotherapy** Thymosin α1 1 19.36 987.03 2 365 1302 344.64 1108 Pegylated 4*** 5.36 381.57 interferon α-2a 5*** 2.12 288.85 61.64 798.22 7 19.69 223.29 8 42.07 242.31 9 42.61 499.05 *measured usingAbbott Architect ™ quantitative anti-HBsAg ELISA **13 weeks ofcontinuous immunotherapy (add-on) after HBsAg reduction was achievedwith REP 2139-Ca monotherapy. ***these two patients received 90 ug ofPegasys/week

The results presented in Table 10 demonstrate that the clearance ofserum HBsAg has a profound synergistic effect on the ability of eitherthymosin α1 or pegylated interferon α-2a to stimulate immune functionwhich was not predicted in the art. All patients achieved very hightiters of anti-HBsAg antibodies (and thus likely a more effectiveoverall immune stimulation) with a much shorter regimen of immunotherapythan would normally be required to achieve even much lower titers ofanti-HBsAg antibodies in the blood when used in monotherapy and eventhen only in a small fraction patients. In Table 10, all patients whohad cleared serum HBsAg responded strongly to immunotherapy. In manycases, clear increases in anti-HBsAg production were detected after aslittle as 6-10 weeks of immunotherapy. These synergistic effects onstimulation of host immunity have led to the off treatment control ofHBV infection in 8/9 patients and clearly demonstrate the synergisticimpact of re-establishing a competent immune response in most patientswith HBV infection when immunotherapy is given in the absence ofcirculating HBsAg.

These results demonstrate that any pharmaceutically acceptable agentwhich can reduce or clear HBsAg from the blood, when administered incombination with an immunotherapeutic agent, will have a beneficial andsynergistic effect on the stimulation of immune function (such as butnot limited to anti-HBsAg antibody production) in patients with chronicHBV. Example III clearly shows that removal of HBsAg from the bloodsynergistically improves the ability of immunotherapy to elicit a stronghost derived antiviral immune response and strongly suggests thatpersistently circulating HBsAg in the blood of patients receiving onlyimmunotherapy is having a profound inhibitory effect on the activity ofthe immunotherapy and likely underlies the poor performance of acceptedimmunotherapies in achieving an immunological control of infection whichendures off treatment. Example III also clearly shows that thesynergistic effects on the restoration of immune function occurred inall patients, who all achieved anti-HBsAg levels in the blood much morerapidly, and at much greater levels than observed with immunotherapyalone and in all cases exceeding the levels of anti-HBsAg antibodiestypically observed in healthy, non-infected HBsAg vaccinatedindividuals. These effects could even be achieved with low doses ofimmunotherapy (Pegasys at 90 ug/week) which are known to be suboptimalwhen used in monotherapy. With HBV protein removal alone, orimmunotherapy alone, these strong protective levels of anti-HBsAgantibodies are rarely observed.

The removal of serum HBsAg achieved with NAPs in the current disclosureexemplifies the best effect which could be achieved with any other agentdesigned to reduce or clear HBsAg (or other HBV antigens) from theblood, regardless of its mechanism of action. As such, the observationsof synergy between HBsAg removal from the blood and stimulation ofimmune function observed using NAPs and the immunotherapeutic agentsPegasys™ and Zadaxin™ clearly demonstrate to anyone skilled in the artthat the same synergistic effects with immunotherapy could now bereliably predicted to occur with the use of any agent capable ofreducing or clearing HBsAg from the blood, regardless of the chemistryor mechanism of action of the agent. Therefore, the disclosures hereinprovide clear and novel teaching that the synergistic effects onimmunological stimulation in HBV infected patients with NAPs used incombination with Zadaxin™ or Pegasys™ could be realized in HBV infectionwith the combinations of any agent or method able to reduce or clearHBsAg from the blood and any second agent able to stimulate immunefunction. The synergistic effects demonstrated with REP 2139-Ca andthymosin α1 or pegylated interferon α-2a would also be expected to occurwith other combinations of agents as recited in the current disclosurewhere the first agent is able reduce or clear HBsAg from the blood andthe second agent is able to stimulate immune function. Furthermore, itcan be envisaged that combinations of two or more different agents ableto reduce of clear HBsAg from the blood combined with two or moredifferent immunotherapeutic agents may also have similar or superioreffect.

While removal of HBsAg from the blood alone likely provides the largemajority of the synergistic impact on immunotherapy, the additionalclearance of HBeAg and HBcAg may also contribute marginally to thesynergistic effect due to their intrinsic immuno-inhibitory properties.Thus the additional clearance of HBeAg and HBcAg from the blood (aneffect also achieved with NAPs) may provide a minimal performanceadvantage but would be of little or no effect in the absence of HBsAgclearance.

The striking effect that HBsAg removal or clearance from the blood hason the effect of conventional immunotherapies may also dramaticallyimprove the effect of vaccines to HBV antigens when administered in atherapeutic setting. From the disclosures herein, one skilled in the artwould reasonably assume that circulating HBsAg was inhibiting a fullypotentiated vaccine response in HBV infected subjects and further thatthe vaccine response would be greatly improved when administered in theabsence of or reduced levels of HBsAg.

EXAMPLE IV REP 2139-Ca/Pegasys™ Combination Treatment at the Start ofTherapy in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B in Human Patients

In a new cohort of HBV infected patients, REP 2139-Ca (500 mg onceweekly) and Pegasys™ (180 ug weekly) were both started at the beginningof therapy to see if the synergistic effects observed in Example IIIcould be achieved earlier in the treatment regimen. In these threepatients, rapid and dramatic reductions in serum HBsAg and rapiddevelopment of free anti-HBsAg antibody titers were observed (see Table11).

TABLE 11 Synergy of REP 2139-Ca and Pegasys ™ when combined at the startof therapy Serum HBsAg (U/ml*) Treatment Serum anti-HBsAg (mIU/ml*)Patient Pre-treatment week 9 Pretreatment On Treatment 1 2510.66 0.170.48 123.75 (week 17) 2 4789.73 0.02 0.4 521.57 (week 15) 3 3338.24 0.050.8 646.42 (week 11) *as measured using the Abbott Architect ™ platform

The results from Example IV demonstrate that the synergy ofsimultaneously combining HBsAg removal from the blood with immunotherapycan occur very early on during therapy when NAPs and Pegasys™ are bothstarted at the beginning of therapy. Further, these results and theresults in Example III show that the profound improvement in the effectof immunotherapy can occur when the immunotherapy is added after HBsAgremoval from the blood has been achieved or when the immunotherapy isadded during the removal of HBsAg from the blood (i.e. at the start oftreatment).

While Examples II, III and IV were conducted in patients with HBVmono-infection, in view of the critical and well established role HBsAgplays in HDV virus formation and immunosuppression in HBV/HDVco-infection, these examples provide clear teaching that the conceptsrecited in the present disclosure should be applicable to both HBVmonoinfection and HBV/HDV co-infection.

The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled inthe art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodimentsdescribed without departing from the scope of the invention as definedby the appended claims. Still other modifications which fall within thescope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims, willbe apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of thisdisclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment one or more firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent or agents consisting of: anoligonucleotide chelate complex: comprising the following: SEQ ID NOs.:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or20; or a nucleic acid polymer consisting of: a phosphorothioatedoligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in length comprising repeats ofthe sequence AC; a phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120nucleotides in length comprising repeats of the sequence CA; aphosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in lengthcomprising repeats of the sequence UG; a phosphorothioatedoligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in length comprising repeats ofthe seguence GU; a phosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120nucleotides in length comprising repeats of the sequence TG; or aphosphorothioated oligonucleotide from 20-120 nucleotides in lengthcomprising repeats of the sequence GT; and one or more secondpharmaceutically acceptable immunotherapeutic agent or agents consistingof: thymosin α1; interferon α-2a; interferon α-2b; interferon α-N3;interferon β-1a; interferon β-1b; interferon γ-1b; interferon λ1;interferon λ2; interferon λ3; pegylated interferon α-2a; pegylatedinterferon α2b; pegylated interferon λ1; pegylated interferon λ2;GS-9620(4-amino-2-butoxy-8[[3-(pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl)phenyl]methyl]-5,7-dihydropteridin-6-one);dehydroepiandrosterone; androstenediol; or androstenetriol.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid polymer further comprises atleast one 2′ ribose modification.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein thenucleic acid polymer further comprises all riboses having a 2′modification.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid polymerfurther comprises at least one 2′ O methyl ribose modification.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid polymer further comprisesall riboses having a 2′ O methyl modification.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the nucleic acid polymer further comprises at least one 5′methylcytosine.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acidpolymer further comprises all cytosines present as 5′ methylcytosine. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid polymer furthercomprises at least one 2′ ribose modification and at least one 5′methyicytosine.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acidpolymer further comprises all riboses having the 2′ O methylmodification and all cytosines present as 5′ methylcytosine.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said one or more first pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent or agents and said one or more second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent or agents are formulated within the same pharmaceuticalcomposition.
 11. The method of claim 1, where said one or more firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent or agents and said one or more secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent or agents are formulated withinseparate pharmaceutical compositions.
 12. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid one or more first pharmaceutically acceptable agent or agents andsaid one or more second pharmaceutically acceptable agent or agents areadministered simultaneously.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said oneor more first pharmaceutically acceptable agent or agents and said oneor more second pharmaceutically acceptable agent or agents areadministered by a different route of administration.
 14. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said one or more first pharmaceutically acceptableagent or agents and said one or more second pharmaceutically acceptableagent or agents are administered using one or more of the following:oral ingestion, aerosol inhalation, subcutaneous injection,intramuscular injection, intraperitoneal injection, intravenousinjection and intravenous infusion.
 15. The method of claim 1, whichfurther comprises using a third pharmaceutically acceptable agentcomprising one or more compounds selected from the following: tenofovirdisoproxil fumarate; entecavir; telbuvidine; adefovir dipivoxil; andlamivudine.
 16. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection orof hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a second pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises pegylated interferon α-2a.
 17. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 3 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylatedinterferon α-2a.
 18. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infectionor of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 10 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon α-2a.
 19. A methodfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 2 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.20. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprising administering to apatient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 3and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises thymosinα1.
 21. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or ofhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 10 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.
 22. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 2 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferonα-2b.
 23. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or ofhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 3 and a second pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises interferon α-2b.
 24. A method for the treatment ofhepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, themethod comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment afirst pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises anoligonucleotide chelate complex of SEC ID NO: 10 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferon α-2b.
 25. Amethod for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprising administering to apatient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 2and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylatedinterferon λ1.
 26. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infectionor of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 3 and a second pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.
 27. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 10 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises pegylatedinterferon λ1.
 28. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infectionor of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a second pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises GS-9620.
 29. A method for the treatment ofhepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, themethod comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment afirst pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises anoligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 3 and a secondpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.
 30. A methodfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 10 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.
 31. Amethod for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprising administering to apatient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO:11 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprisespegylated interferon α-2a.
 32. A method for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the methodcomprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 11 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.
 33. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 11 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferonα-2b.
 34. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or ofhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 11 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.
 35. A methodfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 11 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.
 36. Amethod for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprising administering to apatient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO:12 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprisespegylated interferon α-2a.
 37. A method for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the methodcomprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 12 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.
 38. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 12 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferonα-2b.
 39. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or ofhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 12 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.
 40. A methodfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 12 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.
 41. Amethod for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprising administering to apatient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO:13 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprisespegylated interferon α-2a.
 42. A method for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the methodcomprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 13 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.
 43. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 13 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferonα-2b.
 44. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or ofhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 13 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.
 45. A methodfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 13 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.
 46. Amethod for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprising administering to apatient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO:14 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprisespegylated interferon α-2a.
 47. A method for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the methodcomprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.
 48. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 14 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferonα-2b.
 49. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or ofhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.
 50. A methodfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 14 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.
 51. Amethod for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitisB/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprising administering to apatient in need of such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptableagent which comprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO:15 and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprisespegylated interferon α-2a.
 52. A method for the treatment of hepatitis Binfection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the methodcomprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 15 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises thymosin α1.
 53. A method for thetreatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 15 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises interferonα-2b.
 54. A method for the treatment of hepatitis B infection or ofhepatitis B/hepatitis D co-infection, the method comprisingadministering to a patient in need of such treatment a firstpharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises an oligonucleotidechelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 15 and a second pharmaceuticallyacceptable agent which comprises pegylated interferon λ1.
 55. A methodfor the treatment of hepatitis B infection or of hepatitis B/hepatitis Dco-infection, the method comprising administering to a patient in needof such treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent whichcomprises an oligonucleotide chelate complex of SEQ ID NO: 15 and asecond pharmaceutically acceptable agent which comprises GS-9620.